Of the two other DVDs, the newer of them, Appalachian Journey Live in Concert, is a recording of Ma in the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in 2000 with violinist Mark O'Connor and double-bass player Edgar Meyer. It serves to cement Ma's love affair with mostly Irish-inspired American folk music.
This magnificent DVD should be seen by anyone interested in music. All five musicians appearing in the concert are very fine, and what is astonishing is that the public music-making veers towards the classical as often as it does to traditional folk. Cross-over may be the order of the day, but Ma has great taste and only co-operates with the best.
The third outstanding item in this box is Yo-Yo Ma at Tanglewood, already reviewed in this column (Taipei Times, 15 April 2004). It's exceptionally memorable in every way and full of great riches, as well as being good value at an hour and 40 minutes.
Finally, a Ma CD. The Dvorak Album is a compilation to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composer's death in 1904, with items recorded between 1982 and 1995. There's the Cello Concerto, played by the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur with unusual delicacy, though somewhat lacking in passion, plus four other short works.
Incidentally, Ma will be performing in Taipei on Nov. 2. The program has yet to be announced.
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